Coin refunding mechanism for coin controlled apparatus



Dec. 7, 1965 D. e. MIELKE 3,221,858

' COIN REFUNDING MECHANISM FOR COIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS Filed March 28, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG! INVENTOR DONALD G. MlELKE ATTORNEY D. G. MIELKE 3,221,858

COIN REFUNDING MECHANISM FOR COIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS Dec. 7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 28 1963 Q 4 mmmmhi R m m v W.

mmml DONALD G. M ELKE AMWJ% ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,221,858 COIN REFUNDING MECHANIM FOR COIN CONTROLLED APPARATU Donald G. Miellre, Roselle, Ill., assignor to Margaret Mielke, Roselle, Ill. Filed Mar. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 268,701 3 Claims. (Cl. 194-2) The present invention is directed to new and useful improvements in a coin controlled vending apparatus and is particularly concerned with improvements which enable refunding of selected coins to the user of the mechanism, thereby enabling the proprietor to easily vary prices from time to time for promotional or other purposes.

The major purposes of the present invention are to provide mechanism for adapting a conventional coin operating mechanism for the refunding of coins of varying denominations, whereby the proprietor of the machine may selectively vary prices for articles dispensed by the machine controlled by the mechanism; to form a simple mechanism which enables facile conversion of existing coin controlled mechanism to mechanism of the type in which selective denominations of coins may be refunded as desired by the proprietor; to so form a coin refunding mechanism that the refunding mechanism may be selectively varied by the proprietor of the machine; all of the foregoing being possible while at the same time enabling utilization of standard parts of the coin controlled mechanism for cooperation with the coin refunding mechanism, with attendant economies in the manufacture of the mechanism; these and other purposes of the invention being more apparent from the following description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a coin controlled mechanism housing provided with a coin receiving and activating slide and which is generally typical of many coin controlled mechanisms in use today;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of an adaptor and closure plate utilized in the present invention and within with the housing illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the adaptor and closure plate illustrated in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional illustration of the interior of the housing illustrated in FIGURE 1 and particularly illustrating the coin refunding facilities of the adaptor plate of FIGURE 2 and its relation to other mechanism in the housing;

FIGURE 5 is a top view of the adaptor plate and closure illustrated in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional illustration of certain details of the coin refunding mechanism of the present invention illustrated in FIGURE 5 but illustrating another operative position of the elements.

Referring specifically now to the drawings, wherein like elements are designated by like characters throughout and in the first instance to FIGURE 1, the numeral 10 designates a housing which may be considered representative of coin controlling mechanism. Housing 10 is of boxlike form, and encloses certain operating mechanism which is adapted, upon reception of suitable and selected coins within a slide, generally designated at 11, and upon inward movement of such a slide, to activate certain other mechanism in a vending machine, laundry machine, or the like. The housing 10 with its characteristic coin receiving and activating mechanism 11 may be considered generally representative of many forms of coin controlling mechanism with which the present invention may be used.

In the form illustrated in the drawings, the coin receiving mechanism is of a type having coin receiving openings 3,221,858 Patented Dec. 7, 1965 in an activating slide 11a which includes a thumb piece or handle 11b which the user of the mechanism may grasp for moving the slide inwardly. Upon movement of the slide 11a inwardly, the slide is adapted, at the end of its travel, to contact switch mechanism designated generally at 12 (FIGURE 4) and thus energize certain circuitry for the activation of other mechanism, such as the article delivery mechanism of a vending machine or the starting circuit for a laundry machine.

The housing 10, as illustrated in the drawings, is typical of many coin receiving and activating mechanisms utilized with conventional coin controlled laundry machines.

In the form of mechanism illustrated, slide 11a is connected to an arm 12 which is positioned within housing 10. Arm 12 includes depending bracket arms 13 and 14 within which is slidably mounted a switch activating plunger 15. Upon movement of slide 11a inwardly, or to the left as in FIGURE 1, the plunger 15 is moved toward switch 12a for eventual activation of the vending machine or other mechanism controlled thereby.

The housing 10, coin receiving mechanism 11, and activating mechanism, which is generally and diagrammatically represented by the switch 12a, is typical of coin activating mechanism of the class with which the present invention may be used. In this class of mechanism, a closure plate 16 is mounted in an opening in one of the Side walls 17 of the housing, so as to enable access to the interior of the housing 10. Closure plate 16 includes locking mechanism generally designated at 18, which is engageable with a ledge (not shown) on 'the wall 17, for locking the closure plate 16 in place.

The details of the coin receiving mechanism and the controlled apparatus activating mechanism may take any one of many known forms, and since such details, in and of themselves, form no part of the present invention, they are not described or illustrated herein.

In accordance with the present invention, the closure plate 16 also functions as a coin refunding adaptor mechanism which may be selectively utilized by the proprietor of the machine being controlled by the coin activating mechanism.

One or more coin storage tubes 19 and 20 are mounted on the inner face of the plate 16 and project inwardly within the housing 10. These coin storage tubes 19 and 20 project substantially horizontally within the housing 10. One tube, for example the tube 19, may be sized to receive a column or stack of dimes, whereas the other tube 20 may be of such a size to receive and store nickels. The storage tubes 19 and 20 include springs 21 and 22 which are fixed to the inner ends of the tubes as by removable stops 23 and 24. The springs 21 and 22 each include abutments 25 and 26 positioned to bear against the stacks of coins as at 25a and 26a so as to bias the coins towards the plate 16.

A channel 27 is formed between the tubes 19 and 20 and the plate 16.

Channel 27 may be defined between a mounting plate 28 for the tubes 19 and 20 and an auxiliary plate 29 positioned against and fixed to the closure plate 16, or the closure plate 16 itself. A plate-like slide 30 is confined between plate 29 and plate 28 and is slidably mounted in the channel 27. Slide 30 is provided with spaced openings 31 and 32, which are spaced in accordance with the spacing of the tubes 19 and 20 and which are of a size such that they snugly receive the coins stored within the tubes 19 and 20. Slide 30 is adapted for reciprocation between a coin receiving position, illustrated in FIGURE 5, and a coin discharging position illustrated in FIGURE 6. The slide 30 may include a small narrow and elongated recess 32a so as to provide an abutment 33 at one end thereof for engagement with a stop projection 34 formed on the plate 29, The arrangement is such that when the slide 30 is moved to the coin receiving position as in FIGURE 5, one end wall of the slide opening 31 abuts against the projection 34 to limit movement to the right in FIGURE 5, and to the position there illustrated. When slide 30 moves tothe left to the coin discharging position, its movement is limited by the engagement between abutment 33 and the projection 34.

Plate 29 has openings 35 and 36 formed therein, which openings are so positioned that they are aligned with the coin receiving openings 31 and 32 of the slide 30 when the slide is in the coin discharging position. These openings 35 and 36 communicate with a chute 37 which is formed on the outside of plate 16. Chute 37 may be defined by a plate which overlies the plate 16. The chute defined by the plate 38 is inclined downwardly and terminates in a coin receiving tray 39 so that coins ejected through the openings 35 and 36 will roll down the chute into the tray 39.

Coin ejectors are mounted on plate 28 in alignment with the openings 35 and 36. These ejectors take the form of spring biased balls 40 and 41 which are mounted in small openings defining seats in the plate 28. Springs 42 and 43 bear against the balls and are confined within cages 44 and 45.

The slide 30 includes spaced contact arms 46 and 47 which project inwardly within the housing 10. These spaced arms 46 and 47 are positioned above the tubes 19 and 20. These arms 46 and 47 are so spaced that the depending bracket portions 13 and 14 of the slide of the activating mechanism are positioned therebetween. The arrangement is such that the spacing of the contact arms 46 and 47 of the slide is greater than the spacing of the contact portions of the coin receiving slide as represented by the depending bracket arms 13 and 14, so that a predetermined amount of inward travel of the coin receiving slide 11a is necessary before arm 46 is contacted by contact portion 14 for activation of the coin refunding mechanism. This spacing is preferably such that the coin receiving slide 11a is moved inwardly sufliciently as to be temporarily locked in position, to insure that the proper coin has been deposited and that the vending or controlled mechanism will be activated by switch 12a, before a coin is refunded through activation of slide 30. Conventional coin receiving slide mechanisms are provided with facilities for temporarily locking the slide after such a predetermined inward movement. This temporary locking prevents withdrawal of the slide until the slide has been moved further inwardly to actuate switch 12a.

In use, the proprietor of the machine being controlled by the coin controlled mechanism may selectively refund any number of coins through use of the mechanism herein disclosed, to thereby vary prices charged for use of the machine controlled by the mechanism. For example, if it is desired to refund dimes only, tube 19 is loaded with dimes to be refunded. If it is desired to refund nickels only, only tube 20 is loaded with coins to be refunded. Various combinations of nickels, dimes or other coins to be refunded are, of course, possible by following the principles of the invention.

When one or more of the coin storage tubes 19 and 20 is loaded, as when it is desired to refund coins to vary prices charged, inward movement of the coin receiving slide 11a results in contact between arm 46 and the contact portion 14, whereby the slide 30 is moved toward the right in FIGURE 4 or the coin refunding position illustrated in FIGURE 6. The coin receiving openings in the slide 30 have a coin therein by virtue of the action of the springs pushing the stack of coins toward the openings. As slide 30 moves toward the position illustrated in FIG- URE 6, the spring biased ejector balls 40 or 41 come into contact with any coins carried by the slide and forceably eject these coins through the openings 35 and 36 and into the chute 37 for discharge to the tray 39. Upon retraction of the slide 11:: the bracket portion 13 comes in con- 4' tact with arm 47 to pull the slide 30 back to the coin receiving position illustrated in FIGURE 5.

Mechanism as herein described and illustrated is easily utilized as a coin refunding adaptor for existing coin activating mechanism. The mechanism herein shown and described may be easily mounted on any conventional closure plate for the access opening for such mechanism so as to allow the proprieter of coin controlled equipment to selectively vary prices from time to time through use of one or more of the coin storage tubes and activating mechanism. If no refund is desired, the coin storage tubes are left empty, in which case the controlled mechanism is activated upon reception of the proper coins fitting the openings in slide 11a.

Whereas I have shown and described an operative form of the invention, it should be understood that this showing and description thereof should be taken in an illustrative or diagrammatic sense only. There are many modifications in and to the invention which will fall within the scope and spirit thereof and which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The scope of the invention should be limited only by the scope of the hereinafter appended claims.

I claim:

1. Coin refunding mechanism including a support and a coin receiving tube mounted on said support, said support and coin receiving tube being formed and adapted to be mounted so that the coin storage and receiving tube extends generally horizontally, a coin receiving slide mounted on said support and having an opening formed and adapted to receive coins from said tube, said support including means for slideably mounting said slide for movement between positions wherein said opening receives a coin from said tube and a further position aligned with a discharge opening from said support, an ejecting ball positioned within an opening forming a seat in a wall portion of said support and aligned with said discharge opening, and a spring biasing said ball toward said discharge opening, the opening in said wall portion being smaller than the size of said ball so as to prevent movement of said ball through said opening in said wall.

2. Coin controlling and refunding mechanism including a housing having coin receiving mechanism therein, said housing also including means adapted for actuation of apparatus in response to reception of a proper coin in said mechanism, said coin receiving mechanism including a reciprocating coin receiving slide having a plunger adapted to actuate said apparatus actuating means, said plunger being slideably mounted in spaced brackets, said housing having an access opening in one wall thereof, a plate corresponding in size and configuration to said opening while being formed and adapted to close said opening, said plate being removable to allow access to the interior of said housing, said plate including coin storage mechanism mounted on one side thereof and a coin receiving tray mounted on the other side thereof, channel means defined bet-ween said coin storage mechanism, through said plate, and to said tray to allow passage of coins from said storage mechanism to said tray, a coin removing slide associated with said coin storage mechanism so as to move coins from said storage mechanism to said tray upon movement of said slide, said slide having arm portions straddling said brackets, the spacing of said arm portions being greater than the spacing of said brackets and being such that said plunger travels a predetermined distance on the coin receiving stroke of said receiving slide before contact with one of said brackets to thereby cause movement of said coin removing slide to remove coins from said storage mechanism and through said passage to said tray.

3. Coin controlling and refunding mechanism including a housing having coin receiving mechanism therein, said housing also including means adapted for actuation of apparatus in response to reception of a proper coin in said mechanism, said coin receiving mechanism including a coin rece-iving slide formed and adapted upon movement thereof in response to reception of a coin to actuate said apparatus actuating means, said housing having an access opening in one wall thereof, a plate corresponding in size and configuration to said opening while being formed and adapted to close said opening, said plate being removable to allow access to the interior of said housing, said plate including coin storage mechanism mounted on one side thereof and a coin receiving tray mounted on the other side thereof, channel means defined between said coin storage mechanism, through said plate, and to said tray to allow passage of coins from said storage mechanism to said tray, a coin removal slide associated with said coin storage mechanism and said channel means and mounted for reciprocating movement general- 15 1y parallel to the movement of said coin receiving slide to remove coins from said storage mechanism, and interengageab'le abutment means carried with each said slide and positioned for engagement upon a coin receiving movement of said coin receiving slide to thereby cause coin removal movement of said coin removal slide.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 495,498 4/ 1893 Lewis 1335 1,011,272 12/1911 Teeter et al. 133-5 1,110,771 9/ 1914 Grimes 1335 2,132,229 10/1938 EBreitenstein 1334 2,648,417 8/1953 Childers 19480 FOREIGN PATENTS 202,460 9/ 1914 Germany.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

ERNEST A. FALLER, Examiner. 

2. COIN CONTROLLING AND REFUNDING MECHANISM INCLUDING A HOUSING HAVING COIN RECEIVING MECHANISM THEREIN, SAID HOUSING ALSO INCLUDING MEANS ADAPTED FOR ACTUATION OF APPARATUS IN RESPONSE TO RECEPTION OF A PROPER COIN IN SAID MECHANISM, SAID COIN RECEIVING MECHANISM INCLUDING A RECIPROCATING COIN RECEIVING SLIDE HAVING A PLUNGER ADAPTED TO ACTUATE SAID APPARATUS ACTUATING MEANS, SAID FLUNGER BEING SLIDEABLY MOUNTED IN SPACED BRACKETS, SAID HOUSING HAVING AN ACCESS OPENING IN ONE WALL THEREOF, A PLATE CORRESPONDING IN SIZE AND CONFIGURATION TO SAID OPENING WHILE BEING FORMED AND ADAPTED TO CLOSE SAID OPENING, SAID PLATE BEING REMOVABLE TO ALLOW ACCESS TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID HOUSING, SAID PLATE INCLUDING COIN STORAGE MECHANISM MOUNTED ON ONE SIDE THEREOF AND A COIN RECEIVING TRAY MOUNTED ON THE OTHER SIDE THEREOF, CHANNEL MEANS DEFINED BETWEEN SAID COIN STORAGE MECHANISM, THROUGH SAID PLATE, AND TO SAID TRAY TO ALLOW PASSAGE OF COINS FROM SAID STORAGE MECHANISM TO SAID TRAY, A COIN REMOVING SLIDE ASSOCIATED WITH SAID COIN STORAGE MECHANISM SO AS TO MOVE COINS FROM SAID STORAGE MECHANISM TO SAID TRAY UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID SLIDE, SAID SLIDE HAVING ARM PORTIONS STRADDLING SAID BRACKETS, THE SPACING OF SAID ARM PORTIONS BEING GREATER THAN THE SPACING OF SAID BRACKETS AND BEING SUCH THAT SAID PLUNGER TRAVELS A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE ON THE COIN RECEIVING STROKE OF SAID RECEIVING SLIDE BEFORE CONTACT WITH ONE OF SAID BRACKETS TO THEREBY CAUSE MOVEMENT OF SAID COIN REMOVING SLIDE TO REMOVE COINS FROM SAID STORAGE MECHANISM AND THROUGH SAID PASSAGE TO SAID TRAY. 